By Larry Nager
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Pop-jazz singer Norah Jones was rookie of the year at the 45th Grammys, beating out such favorites as Bruce Springsteen and Eminem to win five awards, including the night's top honor, album of the year (List of winners).

Pop-jazz singer Norah Jones had her hands full after winning five Grammy Awards, including the top honor, album of the year. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

Jones, 23, also took two other top honors - record of the year and best new artist. Her quiet, jazz-tinged debut album, Come Away With Me, also won her the best pop album and pop female awards.

"In a time when this world is really weird, I feel really blessed and really lucky to have had the kind of year I had," she said, accepting album of the year honors.

The singer-pianist dominated the evening so much that, by the time best-new-artist nominees were announced three hours into the show, the others looked beaten even as their names were read by Cyndi Lauper and Alicia Keys. When nominee Michelle Branch heard Jones' name, she visibly winced. To no one's surprise, Jones won.

Her hit, "Don't Know Why," also won song of the year honors in one of the night's biggest upsets. Springsteen's "The Rising" was heavily favored to win.

Jones' album's producer, Arif Mardin, won best non-classical producer for the disc, which also won best-engineered non-classical album.

Her intimate, non-mainstream album set the tone for what was largely an intimate, non-mainstream Grammys, as the 45th annual music awards moved back to New York's Madison Square Garden.

The opening performance reunited lifetime Grammy winners Simon & Garfunkel on their classic, "The Sound of Silence." The night heavily featured singer-songwriters from James Taylor to John Mayer.

New Jersey's bard of the 9-11 tragedy, Springsteen, didn't go home empty handed. The Rising, his album that combined the personal and universal impact of the attacks, won multiple awards, including Springsteen's first win for best rock album. He also won male rock performance and rock song and performed an impassioned version of the title song with his E Street band in one of the show's best musical moments.

Following the night's gentle, offbeat vein, the Dixie Chicks' acoustic, bluegrass-tinged album, Home, beat flashier country superstars to take best country album, as well as country group.

One of those flashy country stars, Faith Hill, won the country female award for her "Cry," a song she delivered onstage in the night's shortest dress.

But the male country winner followed last year's upset, when bluegrass patriarch Ralph Stanley took the award, as 71-year-old Johnny Cash's "Give My Love to Rose" took male honors over Alan Jackson and such hot newcomers as Brad Paisley and Joe Nichols.

Two other veteran acts that have become hip again won Grammys Sunday. The Blind Boys of Alabama won the traditional soul gospel award for Higher Ground, while '60s soulman Solomon Burke won the contemporary blues award for his Don't Give Up on Me.

Past multiple winners Carlos Santana and Sheryl Crow both kept up their Grammy momentum. Santana, who swept the 2000 Grammys, won best pop collaboration with vocals with Michelle Branch for their hit, "The Game of Love."

Crow took the female rock award for her "Steve McQueen." She beat upstart Avril Lavigne, a loss that seemed to mean the young Canadian didn't have much of a chance in the best new artist category, one of the final awards to be handed out Sunday night.

Being a veteran was no guarantee of an award. The pop male prize went to John Mayer, who not only beat R&B newcomer Craig David, but such venerable stars as Sting, Elton John and James Taylor.

"This is very fast and I promise to catch up," he said, accepting the award.

Even Eminem accepted his best rap album award modestly, citing the rappers who inspired him. "Thank you, `cause I learned from all of you," he said quietly. He also showed what he could do, rapping "Lose Yourself," from his hit movie 8 Mile, backed by the Roots.

Eminem's main rap rival, Nelly, beat him for the male rap award, his "Hot in Herre" topping Eminem's "Without Me."

Nelly also took the new rap/song award for "Dilemma," his collaboration with Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child.

The out-of-the mainstream mood of the night could be seen in the R&B categories, as acoustic-soul singer India.Arie won best R&B album as well the new alternative R&B award.

Critical favorite Coldplay, who performed with the New York Philharmonic, was another big winner, taking best alternative as well as rock group honors.

Guitarist (and former Nirvana drummer) Dave Grohl, whose Foo Fighters won the hard-rock Grammy, was part of an all-star tribute to the Clash with Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt and Elvis Costello. They sang "London Calling," by the seminal punk band's leader Joe Strummer, who died in December.

The night also had its flashy show-biz moments as well, including presenter Harvey Fierstein (in full drag) and Cincinnati's always-resplendent Bootsy Collins.

The local funkmaster took home a Grammy as one of the artists on the Standing in the Shadows of Motown album, which won best compilation soundtrack.

Other local nominees weren't so lucky. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra failed in its bid for a best orchestral Grammy, while local Latin jazz label Malandro Records lost the Latin jazz Grammy for Fantasia by Duduka Da Fonseca. Classical producer winner Robert Woods, of Cleveland-based Telarc Records, won for five albums, three by the CSO or Cincinnati Pops.

All four of those awards were given before the telecast. Mindful of the Grammys' low TV ratings in recent years, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences turned the night into more of a live concert than ever before, devoting most of the scheduled 31/2-hour show to live performances. Only 11 awards were given on TV.

E-mail lnager@enquirer.com